Romney, at one time worth an estimated $350 million thanks to a successful career as a Boston venture capitalist, ran the successful 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. With the economy becoming a top campaign issue, his business expertise is considered a plus.

Finally, Romney could help the GOP carry swing states including Michigan, where his late father, George, served as governor. He is seen as strong in the Intermountain West, because of his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Sometimes the obvious answer is the right one," said Kirk Jowers, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics and a longtime Romney supporter who now heads Utah Lawyers for McCain.

Jowers said Romney is clearly the most likely choice for McCain.

"There's no other Republican close to Romney right now," Jowers said. "Others have not put in the time and effort that Mitt has."

Other candidates reportedly being considered by McCain for the No. 2 spot include Pawlenty as well as Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and another former contender for the GOP nomination, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

One of McCain's biggest backers in Utah, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., said Romney has a lot going for him. Huntsman, who bucked the majority of Republicans in the state by supporting McCain early on, has himself been suggested as a potential running mate.

"I'm not there, believe me," Huntsman told the Desert News in a recent interview.

But Romney is definitely high on McCain's list, the governor said. "He's one of the more talented leaders I've ever met and, by any estimation, would have to be a short-list consideration. He has a lot of strengths."

Huntsman, who has campaigned around the country with McCain, said he wasn't sure how Romney's Mormon faith would be weighed in making the decision about who should be the GOP vice-presidential nominee.

"I don't know," the governor said. "You have to do the analysis. You've got certain Western states in which that would be a boon. You have certain Southern states in which that might be a negative."

That's what Romney found during his unsuccessful presidential bid, which ended after a poor Super Tuesday showing on Feb. 5. Romney ran into trouble with evangelical Christians in the South but wowed Mormon voters in the Intermountain West.

Huntsman said the friction between McCain and Romney during the presidential campaign shouldn't be a problem. "Having been around the two of them, I think there is genuine respect and admiration between them," the governor said.

McCain and his aides said little on the campaign trail Tuesday.

"It's the one topic we're forbidden to talk about, " said McCain's senior adviser, Mark Salter, according to The Associated Press. Other aides said only that no announcement would be made on Tuesday, raising more questions.

As for McCain, the wire service said he grinned and waved away reporters on the campaign plane during a swing through New Hampshire, jokingly telling them, "What do you want, you little jerks?"

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